The 2021 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be a historic event because, for the second time in the more than 70 years of the category, two drivers who are playing for the title arrive tied for the last race. Between Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen will be the new champion, and it was key to get everything ready in his car during free practice on Friday for Sunday.
The Briton was the fastest in Friday’s night session thanks to his time of 1:23.691, and he passes the ball to the court of Verstappen, who was six tenths behind his rival for the world championship, in fourth position.
The one who gave the surprise was Esteban Ocon , who set the second fastest time in free practice with the Alpine, although it is likely that he did so quite low on fuel. Behind him, a few thousandths, was Hamilton’s squire, Valtteri Bottas, who will be a key player in the outcome of 2021.
The Red Bulls were more crouched, and finished in 4th and 5th place, with Max Verstappen ahead of Sergio Pérez, but with similar laps between them. Fernando Alonso, who had his best lap canceled (and several more), was 6th, half a second behind his teammate Ocon, while Yuki Tsunoda finished 7th, ahead of Leclerc and Sainz. The Ferraris did not have a great Friday, and they will play for third position in the constructors’ championship with McLaren, who did not even appear in the top ten of Free Practice 2.
The top 10 was closed by Pierre Gasly, who is almost assured of ninth place in the drivers’ championship, but who keeps alive the hopes of those from Faenza to overtake Alpine in the teams’ table.
Results of Free Practice 2 of the 2021 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Click on “SEE RESULTS” to see the complete classification
| Cla | Pilot | Chassis | laps | Weather | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
 |
Mercedes | 26 | 1’23.691 | |
| 2 |  |
 |
Alpine | 29 | 1’24.034 | 0.343 |
| 3 |  |
 |
Mercedes | 29 | 1’24.083 | 0.392 |
| 4 |  |
 |
Red Bull | 25 | 1’24.332 | 0.641 |
| 5 |  |
 |
Red Bull | 26 | 1’24.400 | 0.709 |
| 6 |  |
 |
Alpine | 27 | 1’24.495 | 0.804 |
| 7 |  |
 |
AlphaTauri | 26 | 1’24.532 | 0.841 |
| 8 |  |
 |
Ferrari | 29 | 1’24.557 | 0.866 |
| 9 | |
 |
ferrari | 29 | 1,24,844 | 1,153 |
| 10 | |
 |
AlphaTauri | 27 | 1’24,940 | 1,249 |
| see results | ||||||
FP2 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice 2 Recap
The first to go out to this last Friday session of the year was Mick Schumacher, who had work to do to get the Haas ready and not repeat what happened to him in the last Saudi Arabian GP, where he ended up against the wall in the race . However, no one waited to put his car on the track, and only Daniel Ricciardo remained in the pits, as the track had conditions similar to those it will have at the start of qualifying on Saturday.
Most of the drivers fitted the medium tyre , testing a possible fast lap attempt, but it was difficult to carve out a gap, as did Fernando Alonso, who even went into neutral before the last corner looking for a space.
The first to shoot was Lewis Hamilton , who scored a 1:25.127 with the medium, well ahead of the other candidate and closest rival, Verstappen, who was more than five tenths away. Despite taking just under 10 minutes, there was already a fairly logical order between the cars, with Mercedes and Red Bull at the top of the table, and with Ferrari, Alpine, McLaren and AlphaTauri quite close to each other.
After making the first laps, mistakes were already beginning to be seen, as happened with the two Finns, Bottas and Raikkonen, who had problems keeping their cars on the track, even the Mercedes car hit the wall with the right rear wheel. When they finished this first phase of the session, Hamilton and Verstappen were already 1st and 2nd, with just a tenth difference between them, but the Dutchman’s lap was cancelled.
Before the end of the first quarter of Free Practice 2, Nicholas Latifi scared his team because he lost control of the Williams in the renovated hotel section and crashed into the protections, but he was able to get the car out of there and reach the garage. As the sun was setting, the drivers headed back to the garage to fit a fresh set of tires and test the soft for qualifying.
Bottas was the one who gave a first reference, but he did not surpass his partner, who was in the lead with a 1:24.126. One of the most interesting moments in the television broadcast was the lap from the on-board camera in Alonso’s helmet , where the number of changes and adjustments that the drivers must make in each lap was appreciated.
Shortly after his previous lap, the #77 recharged the energy of the Mercedes and took the lead of the session, but the two great rivals were still missing. Hamilton did not have a brilliant lap , and fell behind the Finn, while in Verstappen’s attempt, Red Bull could barely be 3rd, two tenths off the best time.
Esteban Ocon surprised halfway through Free Practice 2, when he managed to put the Alpine at the top of the table with a 1:24.034, although the good performance of the French car was reaffirmed with the return of Alonso, who was 5th. With just over 20 minutes remaining, Hamilton took out the hammer and posted a 1m23.691s on the soft to return to the lead and put pressure on Verstappen, who was awaiting his moment in the pits.
In the final quarter of an hour , the two Red Bulls dusted themselves off to make a fastest lap attempt, but failed to improve and fell to 4th and 5th , with Verstappen ahead of Pérez. The last minutes of Free Practice 2 were dedicated to testing long runs, since it is the only time of the weekend where it can be done with the same temperature conditions that will be in the race on Sunday. As a result, hardly any changes were seen in the leaderboard, and it seems that Mercedes has a faster car than the Austrians.
When the checkered flag fell, Kimi Raikkonen wrecked his Alfa Romeo in the new hotel area, but the Finn, who bids farewell to F1 this weekend, walked out on his own.
Gallery: the best photos from Free Practice 2 of the 2021 F1 Abu Dhabi GP
Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Charles Coates/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Photo de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Charles Coates/Motorsport Images
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Photo By: Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Foto de: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
